6 Tips to Wow the Stuffing Out of Your Guests This Thanksgiving

Whirlpool has compensated me for my services and my posts, but all posts represent my own opinion.

It’s no secret that I absolutely love the holidays! Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Tuesday – really any excuse to host my friends and family, and eat a delicious turkey dinner!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I’m once again starting to plan for the kickoff to fall and to another holiday season. We always spend the long weekend with family and friends, and it always includes a huge dinner. Turkey, ham, stuffing and all the fixin’s. A real Canadian feast!

I’m especially excited this year as we’ve been doing a lot of work on our house and I’m excited to show it off! We’re still in the process up updating our kitchen and I’ve got my eyes on some Maytag fingerprint-resistant stainless steel appliances! We have a lot of little ones in our lives, and I’ve always avoided stainless steel due to sticky fingers but am thrilled that I can finally get the look I want! For generations, Maytag has stood for durability, reliability, and power – so there’s no doubt in my mind that this is the right brand for our household.

I’m the first to admit that hosting any size group for the holiday can be stressful, however, if you plan in advance and keep things simple, everyone is guaranteed to have a fantastic time!

Here are 6 dependable hosting tips to help you out this holiday season:

• Have a backup plan

◦ There’s always bound to be at least one guest who has a special dietary requirement or taste. Always have a backup meal prepped (even a frozen pizza or quiche will do) in case you face last-minute hiccups.

• Choose dependable dishes

◦ A holiday dinner is not the time to take a stab at a new recipe. Stick to your tried and true dishes – like that delicious sweet potato casserole you’ve made a thousand times – to avoid dinnertime disappointment and ensure you wow your guests like the dependable host you are.

• Be prepared for stains

◦ Especially if kids are present, there’s bound to be a spill or two! Don’t leave it until tomorrow so the stain can set in – throw that table cloth or guest’s shirt in the wash right away. Crisis averted!

• Go for bite-sized appetizers

◦ Before dinner, guests will want to mingle with a drink in hand. Stick to bite-sized appetizers that aren’t awkward to eat and your guests will feel much more comfortable.

• Say no to fancy dishware

◦ Being a holiday, you may be tempted to bring out the fancy china & crystal, however, handwashing at the end of the meal means your kitchen looks like a complete disaster! Use plates and glassware that are dishwasher safe so you can keep your counters clutter free and have your trusty Maytag dishwasher do the hard work for you while you entertain your guests.

• Delegate tasks

◦ Hosting a dinner party doesn’t mean you should do everything yourself! Train the next generation in your household by delegating tasks to loved ones of all ages. Whether it’s the dog on vacuum duty or having little ones ‘help’ with setting the table – just because you’re the host doesn’t mean you have to do it all.

I love the 5th tip so much, but we’ve actually hit a road block in that our (very old) dishwasher finally washed its last dish last week so we’re actively looking for a replacement. I’ve been doing my research and I think I have narrowed it down to the Maytag Top Control Pocket Handle Dishwasher. This powerful unit comes with thePowerBlast Cycle to remove stuck-on food with high-pressure spray jets, increased temperature and hot steam to finish the job! This will come in handy now that our kids are tasked with loading the dishwasher daily – which I love! – however, let’s just say they don’t do the greatest job rinsing beforehand!

Family gatherings can certainly be stressful – but they definitely do not need to be! I am confident that by following some or all of the tips above and with Maytag by my side, cooking and cleaning will be an absolute breeze – leaving me more time to entertain my friends & family and enjoy the holidays together!

Entrepreneur, Child-Wrangler and Domestic-Goddess-Wannabe, Jenn is a married, mother of two. She is also the founder of That's So Social and Editor in Chief of Travel Mavens.
Likes: travel, eggs benedict, yoga pants, dogs, and Netflix.